Washing powder thief hopes prison sentence will help him get clean of drugs

Pictured is Steven Barthorpe, 35, of Prospect Road, Old Whittington, Chesterfield, who has been jailed for 18 weeks for theft and for breaching a suspended prison sentence.

Published:09:52Monday 09 May 2016

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A thief who breached a suspended prison sentence after a theft from a supermarket has been locked up.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard how Steven Barthorpe, 35, of Prospect Road, Old Whittington, Chesterfield, stole a DVD player, Ariel, Bold and Persil belonging to Asda in the town while he was still under a suspended sentence for driving while disqualified.

Prosecuting solicitor Sarah Haslam said: “There was a shop theft at the Asda, on Sheffield Road, where he selected items of washing powder and a DVD player and put them in a bag and left without paying.

“He was chased and he climbed over a wall and into a garden and he dropped the goods before he was detained by a police officer.”

Barthorpe fully accepted to police that he went to the Asda and stole to sell the goods on to make money.

He pleaded guilty to the theft after the incident on April 22 and also admitted breaching a suspended prison sentence order.

Defence solicitor Kirtsy Sargent said “It was a straight forward shoplifting and it was always going to be noticed by members of staff at the store.

“He was interviewed and he made full and frank admissions and said he was in a difficult financial position struggling to pay for gas, electricity and food and he made a wrong decision to go to the store to steal to sell items on for money.”

Ms Sargent added that Barthorpe had been working as a scaffolder but the work ceased in December, last year, and he was struggling for money and he got in with the wrong crowd and relapsed into drugs.

Barthorpe also feels probation support will not be enough to help him, according to Ms Sargent, but believes a term in prison will give him a chance to get clean of drugs and make a fresh start on his release.

Magistrates re-activated Barthorpe’s suspended sentence matters and jailed him for a total of 18 weeks.